VYCM Season Preview

Last year record: 11-11. The VYCM team got off to an impressive start, boasting a 7-2 record after nine rounds. They had a slump in form and lost six in a row before finishing the season strong with two wins against the top two sides, Melbourne and Ringwood, who would eventually fight it out in the grand final. Their season came to a heartbreaking end with a double-overtime loss to Dandenong in the quarterfinals.

Coach: David Mitchell. This will be Coach Mitchell’s third season as head coach of the VYCM team. Before coaching the VYCM team, Mitchell coached the U18’s for five seasons and was named an assistant coach for the U18 VIC Metro side.

Captain: Matt Burke. Matt was selected in last year’s All-Star 5 after averaging 16.7 points, 3.3 steals and 7 rebounds per game last season.

Strengths: Coach Mitchell believes the biggest strength of his team is the camaraderie. “They are a team in every sense of the word,” Coach Mitchell said. “They are friends off the court and they love being around each other. That definitely helps with the way they play on the court. They are willing to sacrifice playing minutes or individual points in order to win.”

What to expect: Coach Mitchell wants to see his side push the ball on offence and try to capitalise in transition before defences are set. In half court sets, this team will try to utilise its height. They are big side so expect a lot of power options and post touches.

Preseason form: The VYCM team has only played one preseason game so far, but it was an encouraging double-digit win against last year’s champions, Melbourne.

Who to look out for: Matt Burke will be trying to continue his award-winning form, whilst Lachie Lemons, Finn Kenny and James Cigognini will be big contributors when not playing for the SEABL team. Alex Andrews and Mitch Barber are two of the league’s best defenders and will be a vital part of Coach Mitchell’s system.